Page 10 of Wicked Tricks

Nodding once, I decided to not push my luck with another snarky comment, and ducked out of the room.

I tried to seem as casual as possible as I left the house, being eyed up and down by everyone who was probably wondering who the fuck I was. I attempted to calm my pounding heart, adrenaline pulsing through my veins, my fight or flight response heavily triggered by the tense situation.

Even for me, it was a risky play. I didn’t doubt for a second that luck very much had something to do with the meeting, and I wasn’t one to gamble.

Every nerve in my body was tapped into the intuitive part of me, and I knew I had to get out quickly.

Inhaling deeply, I tried to calm myself as I stepped out into the cool evening air. I wrapped my jacket tight around my torso and made my way out onto the street. It was a typical dreary evening, the grey sky casting an ominous vibe over the suburbs and the city skyline in the not so far distance.

I couldn’t stop myself from checking over my shoulder every few seconds, or flinching from every small creature or car that made a noise near me. As I made some distance between me and the house, and was sure that I wasn’t being followed - I began to run.

My surroundings brightened a little as I exited the wealthy suburb and reentered the city. I checked my phone, to find multiple missed call notifications and sighed. It was time to start work, though I dreaded going to Lilith’s at that moment.

I dreaded seeing Diana.

People huddled by the busy intersection, and I manoeuvred my way through the crowd as the crossing light turned green and the traffic stopped. I let myself relax, only a little, among the busy groups of people and buildings.

I loved the city, and the way it enabled me to disappear, to become a faceless blob among faceless blobs. I checked over my shoulder before I ducked into the alleyway. It was boarded up with graffitied sheets of plywood, and I dodged the puddles formed in the deep potholes in the road. I stayed alert as I walked through the dark, hidden street that cut a few minutes off my walk to work.

The purple neon sign hung above the black door would’ve been the only indication that a club existed amongst the otherwise plain wall of stone - if it weren’t for the growing line of people waiting to get in.

I nodded to Brett as I jogged across the street to the entrance. He was the only male ever to be employed at Lilith’s - he was our bouncer, and mainly for show.

Brett was a handsome guy. A giant, with a long beard and a messy bun of dark blonde hair. He was like a Viking God.

“Hey Ro,” he said, kissing me on the cheek.

“Hey,” I smiled, avoiding his kiss as politely as I could.

From a very young age, I had sworn off men. I didn’t even remember if it was ever a conscious choice. The point being, I had long ago accepted the fact that there would never be a man in my life. But hey, I still had needs.

Twice, I had allowed Brett to help me with those needs - and I was very quickly reminded why it was advised tonotfuck your co-workers.

Brett had spent the past year since it had happened, trying to make it happen again. He was a sweet enough guy, and yeah, he was hot.

But I knew something he didn’t.

I already knew exactly what would happen if we had continued on that path.

If we slept together enough, the chemicals in my brain would betray me. I would start to catch feelings and begin to let my guard down, and then we would become a ticking time bomb.

I would have no choice but to begin the countdown to when he would eventually ruin my life in one way or another. I promised myself that I would never end up like either of my mothers - real or adopted.

Two amazing women who let men ruin their lives in the most brutal way possible.

I owed it to those women to not let it happen to me.

I climbed the stairs up to Lilith’s, the music getting louder as I got closer.

“Hi honey!” Mina shouted obnoxiously in my face. I rolled my eyes as she slung her arm around me, pulling me in tightly for a cuddle.

She was already visibly drunk, and I knew that I would have to deal with that later.

“I got a good mark lined up for you over there,” she slurred, pointing to an older man lingering by the bar.

The guy was looking us up and down, sipping his drink. He wore an ill-fitting, yet good quality, black suit. He was alone, and I saw the flash of gold wrapped around his wrist.

“Soon, OK?” I patted her hand, pulling away from her forced hug. She nodded, and made her way back over to him.

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